2024 July Construction Report
As summer progresses, and the weather has been generally cooperative, construction is progressing well:
Office walls, roofing and the masonry of the terrace are underway with minimal issues and ancillary costs. Things are looking good on the construction side of the project. God’s grace!
Here is the current rundown of parish and Philoptochos pledges:
Annunciation, Akron, OH ($20,000)
Annunciation, Cleveland, OH
Annunciation, Columbus, OH ($50,000)
Annunciation, Lancaster, PA ($50,000)
Archangel Michael, Campbell, OH
Assumption, Morgantown, WV ($25,000)
Dormition, Oakmont, PA ($20,000)
Holy Trinity, Ambridge, PA
Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($100,000)
Holy Trinity, Canton, OH
Holy Trinity, Pittsburgh ($50,000)
Holy Cross, Pittsburgh, PA ($100,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Cle Hts, OH ($20,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Reading, PA ($25,000)
St.
St. Demetrios, Warren, OH ($25,000)
St. John the Divine, Wheeling, WV ($15,000)
St. John the Forerunner, Youngtown, OH ($50,000)
St. Haralambos, Canton, OH ($10,000)
St. Nicholas, Bethlehem, PA ($100,000)
St. Nicholas, Youngstown, OH
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA ($50,000)
St. Paul, North Royalton, OH ($25,000)
St. Spyridon, Clarksburg, WV ($5,000)
Philoptochos, Metropolis ($17,575)
Philoptochos, Annunciation, Cleveland, OH ($5000)
Philoptochos, Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($7000)
Philoptochos, St. Demetrios, Warren, OH ($3000)
Philoptochos, Clarksburg, WV ($5,000)
As we accurately tally the gifts received from Philoptochos, the very first donation was made two years ago at the Metropolis level, a donation of $17,575 and about that same time, Camp Hill Philoptochos made an initial donation of $2,000 bringing the Philoptochos total to $37,575! For the chapters not listed, please invite us to present project scope and status at your next meeting! Please reply to this email!! We will come!!
With the parish pledges, our current total comes to $777,575. And even above that, with the most recent pledges, our total pledges/cash to date has now surpassed the $12M mark! This is a huge milestone and a great witness to all those who love the church.
And as we approach the final $2M for total funding, I also hope (that’s my job) that whenever Christ knocks on our door, we always respond with love, merely returning to Him all that we have been given. This is my personal perspective and I always hope that Christ will honor all this work at the time I stand before His awesome judgement seat. All I got. Always hopeful.
And as we make plans to honor all those that have contributed, whether in the building, or in a prayer garden (working on that) or somehow, somewhere on the grounds, remember that we are getting close to our financial goals. Don’t be left out. Don’t procrastinate. Pledge now while you’re thinking about it, for yourself, your family, in memory of a loved one. Pledge now!
AND as I always will, I ask that you seriously consider a pledge, or raising your pledge, or pre-paying your pledge so that we AVOID ANY DEBT! We will continue fundraising until we are fully funded! Please help so that this new home is only ever a blessing AND NEVER A BURDEN to our dear church. Please participate and be part of our community!
To pledge, please click on this link or scan the QR code below:
FINANCIAL STATUS
FUNDING
Total Project Cost = $14.0M
Total Pledges/Cash to Date = $12.28M
Pledges Outstanding = $2.96M
Cash on Hand = $6.43M
SPENDING
Soft Costs to Date = $691K
Construction Spending This Month = $234K
Construction Spending to Date = $2.71M
TOTAL PROJECT SPENDING = $3.40M
BORROWING
Anticipated, Approximate Total = $2.0M
Anticipated Start = October 2024
Thanks for your support and prayers,
Archon Nick Lekas | New Metropolis Center Project Manager
2024 June Construction Report
The section of the offices and meeting rooms and basement and back porch is now under roof! The chapel dome support structure is now two stories high! The site is amazingly different than a month ago. If you are in the area, please take the time to visit the site. The address is 100 Enterprise Road, Washington, PA 15301. It is particularly exciting to see!!!
FUNDRAISING:
The month of May was taken up with Pascha and the post-Paschal break in every community. Just before Kathy and I took some vacation time, I presented project scope and status at the St. Photios dinner. At that dinner, Fr. Jon Emanuelson announced that Morgantown is pledging $25,000, bringing us up and over the $750,000 mark to $758,000. I know too that some parishes have pledges approved by councils but still need general assembly parish approvals. We are always hopeful!! Here is the current lineup of parish level pledges as well as Philoptochos chapter pledges:
Annunciation, Akron, OH ($20,000)
Annunciation, Cleveland, OH
Annunciation, Columbus, OH ($50,000)
Annunciation, Lancaster, PA ($50,000)
Archangel Michael, Campbell, OH
Assumption, Morgantown, WV ($25,000)
Dormition, Oakmont, PA ($20,000)
Holy Trinity, Ambridge, PA
Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($100,000)
Holy Trinity, Canton, OH
Holy Trinity, Pittsburgh ($50,000)
Holy Cross, Pittsburgh, PA ($100,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Cle Hts, OH ($20,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Reading, PA ($25,000)
St. Demetrios, Rocky River, OH
St. Demetrios, Warren, OH ($25,000)
St. John the Divine, Wheeling, WV ($15,000)
St. John the Forerunner, Youngtown, OH ($50,000 – pledged before we visited!!)
St. Haralambos, Canton, OH ($10,000)
St. Nicholas, Bethlehem, PA ($100,000)
St. Nicholas, Youngstown, OH
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA ($50,000)
St. Paul, North Royalton, OH ($25,000)
St. Spyridon, Clarksburg, WV ($5,000)
Philoptochos, Annunciation, Cleveland, OH ($5000)
Philoptochos, Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($5000)
Philoptochos, St. Demetrios, Warren, OH ($3000)
Philoptochos, St. Spyridon, Clarksburg, WV ($5,000)
I recently became aware that the Clarksburg pledge of $10,000 came half from the parish and half from their Philoptochos chapter! It is my hope that more Philoptochos chapters pledge. Notably, our current center was purchased in large part with Philoptochos funds as a gift to the church. And in the new center there is dedicated office space for Philoptochos, located in Washington County with a population of over 200,000 with over 12% living below the poverty line and nearly 20% in the city of Washington, less than 10 minutes away (stats from censusreporter.org). It is my hope that we will see local chapters banding together at the new center reaching out to our new neighbors and that we develop a reputation for serving those locally in need! Another important mission made possible by the new center.
As always, Kathy and I are more than willing to visit or revisit your parish or chapter to present the project to your folks. Just ask us!
We are now only $250,000 short of reaching $12M in cash/pledges. I am hoping we can report that success soon! Please help us support our ministries, our church!! If you have received a pledge card in the mail and have yet to pledge, please do.
AND as I always will, I ask that you seriously consider a pledge, or raising your pledge, or pre-paying your pledge so that we AVOID ANY DEBT! (Notice that we keep pushing out the anticipated month of loan opening given our fundraising successes!!!) We will continue fundraising until we are fully funded! Please help so that this new home is only ever a blessing AND NEVER A BURDEN to our dear church. Please participate and be part of our community!
To pledge, please click on this link or scan the QR code below:
FINANCIAL STATUS:
FUNDING
Total Project Cost = $14.0M
Total Pledges/Cash to Date = $11.74M
Pledges Outstanding = $2.63M
Cash on Hand = $6.16M
SPENDING
Soft Costs to Date = $691K
Construction Spending This Month = $639K
Construction Spending to Date = $2.47M
TOTAL PROJECT SPENDING = $3.16M
BORROWING
Anticipated, Approximate Total = $2.0M
Anticipated Start = October 2024
Thanks for your support and prayers,
2024 May Construction Report
In the coming few weeks, we will see the growth of first floor walls while the floors and foundations are finished. It was particularly exciting to stand in the basement record storage room, now enclosed by walls and ceiling.
As we turn our attention to Furnishings, Finishes and Décor, we are hoping that there is no shortfall in funding that might compromise our ability to make all the final touches to the building, e.g. chapel décor, a prayer garden, landscaping throughout, office and social hall furniture, appliances and furniture for the Metropollitan’s home, some of which are highlighted here:
FUNDRAISING
Since our last report, Kathy and I have visited another two parishes: Assumption, Morgantown, WV and Holy Trinity, Pittsburgh. Between a Parish Council presentation at Holy Trinity on a Thursday evening and their General Assembly the following Sunday, they have already pledged $50,000! We have also received pledges from St. Demetrios, Warren of $25,000 and have been informed that St. Nicholas, Bethlehem, PA has pledged $100,000!!! Amazingly, we have also been graced by Philoptochos chapter pledges, $5000 from Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, $3000 from St. Demetrios, Warren and $5000 from Annunciation, Cleveland.
Annunciation, Akron, OH ($20,000)
Annunciation, Cleveland, OH
Annunciation, Columbus, OH ($50,000)
Annunciation, Lancaster, PA ($50,000)
Archangel Michael, Campbell, OH
Dormition, Oakmont, PA ($20,000)
Holy Trinity, Ambridge, PA
Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($100,000)
Holy Trinity, Canton, OH
Holy Trinity, Pittsburgh ($50,000)
Holy Cross, Pittsburgh, PA ($100,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Cle Hts, OH ($20,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Reading, PA ($25,000)
St. Demetrios, Rocky River, OH
St. Demetrios, Warren, OH ($25,000)
St. John the Divine, Wheeling, WV ($15,000)
St. John the Forerunner, Youngtown, OH ($50,000 – pledged before we visited!!)
St. Haralambos, Canton, OH ($10,000)
St. Nicholas, Bethlehem, PA ($100,000)
St. Nicholas, Youngstown, OH
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA ($50,000)
St. Paul, North Royalton, OH ($25,000)
St. Spyridon, Clarksburg, WV ($10,000)
Philoptochos, Annunciation, Cleveland, OH ($5000)
Philoptochos, Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($5000)
Philoptochos, St. Demetrios, Warren, OH ($3000)
This month marks our greatest month-over-month increase in pledges, from $545,000 to $733,000!
2024 April Construction Report
More and higher foundation walls are in process with some areas complete along with some flat concrete work.
So far, April has been one rainy month and not particularly concrete/masonry cooperative. We will do our best to be all the more active once the weather is a bit drier (which is bound to happen soon – right?).
With construction well in hand, we are now turning out attention to ‘Furnishings, Finishes and Décor’ (oh my!). Many of these areas are minimally funded within our budget, some not at all and many may be compromised if we don’t achieve our funding goals, e.g. chapel décor, a prayer garden, landscaping throughout, office and social hall furniture, appliances and furniture for the Metropollitan's home. What would you like to sponsor?
These last few weeks were the most miles-intensive as Kathy and I presented to 6 parish councils, shown here in red:
Annunciation, Cleveland, OH
Annunciation, Columbus, OH ($50,000)
Annunciation, Lancaster, PA ($50,000)
Archangel Michael, Campbell, OH
Dormition, Oakmont, PA ($20,000)
Holy Trinity, Ambridge, PA
Holy Trinity, Camp Hill, PA ($100,000)
Holy Trinity, Canton, OH
Holy Cross, Pittsburgh, PA ($100,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Cleveland Hts, OH ($20,000)
Sts. Constantine & Helen, Reading, PA ($25,000)
St. Demetrios, Rocky River, OH
St. Demetrios, Warren, OH
St. John the Divine, Wheeling, WV ($15,000)
St. John the Forerunner, Youngtown, OH ($50,000 – pledged before we visited!!)
St. Haralambos, Canton, OH ($10,000)
St. Nicholas, Bethlehem, PA
St. Nicholas, Youngstown, OH
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA ($50,000)
St. Paul, North Royalton, OH ($25,000)
St. Spyridon, Clarksburg, WV ($10,000)
Whenever a parish pledges, at whatever level they can, we are so pleased to enjoy the support and prayers of our parishes. This month, we received a $20,000 pledge from Dormition/Oakmont, bringing our total parish level pledges to $545,000!
And so far this month, we are scheduled to visit two more parishes, either for council meetings or general parish gatherings.
And via our parish visits, we have also enjoyed a substantial family pledge of $250,000, now bringing our total pledges to $11.6M – less than $2.5M yet to raise!!
With a sizable recent mailing to nearly all parishioners in our Metropolis, we have received 50 donations/pledges. Direct mail donations and pledges are currently $16,000+. Our Metropolitan Savas has begun an email campaign and taken the time to record video at the site to chronicle progress for social media posts. These are all good things to focus on while we all consider almsgiving during this Lenten Season.
Please consider returning your pledge card!
AND as I always will, I ask that you seriously consider a pledge, or raising your pledge, or pre-paying your pledge so that we AVOID ANY DEBT! We will continue fundraising until we are there! Please help so that this new home is only ever a blessing AND NEVER A BURDEN to our dear church. Please participate and be part of our community!
To pledge or donate, please visit here: pittsburgh.goarch.org/pledge
FINANCIAL STATUS:
FUNDING
Total Project Cost = $14.0M
Total Pledges/Cash to Date = $11.6M
Pledges Outstanding = $2.5M
Cash on Hand = $6.6M
SPENDING
Soft Costs to Date = $660K
Construction Spending This Month = $222K
Construction Spending to Date = $1.8M
TOTAL PROJECT SPENDING = $2.5M
BORROWING
Anticipated, Approximate Total = $2.0M
Anticipated Start = July 2024
Thank you for your support and prayers,
Archon Nick Lekas
New Metropolis Center Project Manager
